Lately, I’ve received some interesting emails from readers, asking questions or relating experiences that have to do with embroidery kits.

And heck, who doesn’t like to talk about embroidery kits? It’s a topic I love, so I’m always game for a discussion!

One interesting conversational thread that has surfaced is the topic of purchasing embroidery kits as opposed to sourcing your own supplies for a project.

The topic is multi-faceted. I could never cover every detail or share every thought I have on the subject in one article. You’d be asleep by the end!

So, instead, I’m introducing the subject here, sharing a few of my thoughts and some basic principles behind them, and asking for your input and feedback.

I’ve been working on an embroidery project called Late Harvest for the last year, and the articles relating to my progress on the project – and any mistakes, corrections, tips and techniques that I’ve written about – are scattered all over Needle ‘n Thread.

So, to do a little housekeeping and keep things organized so that you can find them more easily, here’s the Project Index for Late Harvest! This is where I’ll list, in chronological order, all the articles relating to this project as I work through it.

You’ll find the project index listed under Tips and Techniques in the main menu here on Needle ‘n Thread, under the first section on Embroidery Lessons & Step by Step Projects.

As I contemplated writing today’s article, the whole notion of “April Fool’s Day” rattled around in my head.

I racked my brain for days, hoping to concoct an appropriate needlework-related prank to pull off on you.

But you know what I realized?

Any embroidery-related joke that I could come up with for Needle ‘n Thread was just… too… crewel.

So I decided to skip it!

Instead, I’m going to share with you Karen’s absolutely gorgeous embroidered peacock, taken from Johanna Basford’s Secret Garden coloring book.

Remember my embroidered Secret Garden Hummingbirds from the same book? Well, Karen followed along with that project, working her own version of the peacock page. She kindly sent photos and all the details of her stitching adventure.

So, let’s end the week with some inspirational embroidery and forget the whole April Fool’s thing! Besides reveling in the colors and stitching, you’ll find plenty of ideas to glean for your own embroidery projects.

Back to my adventures with Late Harvest, the embroidery kit by Hazel Blomkamp that I’ve been working on for quite a while now.

I don’t think I can emphasize too much how fun the embroidery on this design has been. Not only is there a ton of stitching variety in the piece, but there are elements and techniques that have proved relaxing, challenging, and exciting, all in one!

I’ve found myself anticipating the next step the whole time – always eager to stitch the next element, to try the next technique, to see the finished product. It’s like reading a really good book, where you can’t wait to get on to the next chapter!

Here in the Midwest, Spring is trying its darnedest to break through!

But it definitely needs a little help. Two weeks ago, when it was 80 degrees, you’d think that we skipped the season altogether and plunged straight into summer. But no. Now there’s a possibility of snow on Easter Sunday.

So, in an attempt to encourage Spring to spring, here’s a round-up of some of my favorite embroidery ideas, tutorials, and patterns that are spring related. I hope you enjoy them!

With Easter only a few days away, it might be a little late to start a full-fledged Easter embroidery project.

But then again, if you have the time on your hands, it might not!

This pattern, from Joanna at Haft Richelieu, features a darling little bunny, decorative eggs, and little flowers, made into a beautiful basket liner.

You’ll find a PDF for the free pattern at the end of the article, so read on!

Certain times of the year, the yearn to go road tripping overwhelms me. There’s nothing I love better than a good road trip!

One of my favorite aspects of a road trip is staying in different hotels along the way. I love hotel life! I don’t really know why. It’s not as if I stay at swanky hotels or anything. But I think it’s fun to stay in hotels, especially if you’re traveling with family or friends.

When road tripping, I rarely bother to take embroidery with me anymore, because the fact is, I never get to it. There’s just too much else to do on vacation – too many things to see, people to visit, places to go. Embroidery ends up taking a back seat, if I remember it at all.

But lately, I’ve had the unique opportunity to stay in a hotel for some extended bouts of time, without the vacation vibe hovering over the whole experience, while I take care of some medical treatments. And I’ve been staying alone, so there’s lots of time on my hands! When I prepare to pack up for these chunks of hotel living, you can bet that, in these circumstances, my embroidery plays first fiddle. I’m not exactly getting out and about and “doing the town,” so I need something to do to while away those hotel-room hours.

Whether you’re traveling for business, pleasure, or necessity, packing needlework stuff for hotel stays is a good idea, if you know you’re going to have time to stitch.

Here are the stitchy things I’ve been taking along with me lately – maybe they’ll give you some good ideas for your next hotel stay.